Can DME completely replace LME?

I haven't switched to all grain and due to a lack of equipment I probably wont be going all grain any time soon. Mini mashing is sort of out for the moment as well. So I will be sticking to extract. I've been looking at lots of different recipes and I see generally the majority of extract brews use LME, sometimes exclusively. I am not sure if I've seen a recipe where DME is used entirely without any LME.

Can DME be used for a full batch without the use of any LME? Is there a flavor difference that makes this not worthwhile?


I only ask because if I were to buy either in bulk for homebrewing I think DME would be easier to use since scooping out DME has to be easier than scooping out LME from bulk containers. Sure I understand clumping is an issue and if I'm not aggressively brewing often the DME might not be good before I finish it. But given the price I can get a 50lbs bag for it might be worthwhile to try.

DME is the same as LME. DME has 2% water where as LME has 20%. DME actually has a better shelf life than LME.

The only reason I would use LME is if it were a special variety. I don't know why but there are many more varieties of LME than DME. I wish it were the other way around.

Remember though not all the Malt Extracts are created equal. Some have less fermentables than others for a better body. Some a lot of fermentables.

doubleb said:

DME is the same as LME. DME has 2% water where as LME has 20%.

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and because of that fact you will need to use more LME or less DME when swapping them in a given recipe. There is a rate somewhere for converting, unfortunately I cannot remember it right now.

Yep, I was aware that swapping them would require different amounts due to water content. For example: 6.6lbs of light LME is about the same as 5.5.lbs of light DME.

Good to know that they can be used interchangably. Thanks

DME is hygroscopic, so if you buy bulk quantities, you'll need to make sure you can seal it air and moisture tight. The very fine powder is sticky and gets on everything if you aren't careful.

I rarely used LME because I preferred DME, so almost all of my recipes used DME. It does store better. You can keep it a long time in a cool dry place. I still keep a big bag in my kitchen cupboard just for making yeast starters.

I have never tried a all DME. Actually I have never bought DME before. My LHBS has cheap bulk LME and is only 1/4 mile or so from my house.

I think i will do an all DME beer now.

madewithchicken said:

I have never tried a all DME. Actually I have never bought DME before. My LHBS has cheap bulk LME and is only 1/4 mile or so from my house.

I think i will do an all DME beer now.

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When you have bought LME in bulk how did you take out only what you needed? I mean with a bag of 50lbs of DME I don't really see a problem scooping out the powder. But with 50lbs of LME I just don't see how that would be an easy task.

Just curious

Eves said:

When you have bought LME in bulk how did you take out only what you needed? I mean with a bag of 50lbs of DME I don't really see a problem scooping out the powder. But with 50lbs of LME I just don't see how that would be an easy task.

Just curious

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The homebrew stores fill plastic "milk jugs" from big vats. They have a valve they open and give you only what you need.

Eves said:

When you have bought LME in bulk how did you take out only what you needed? I mean with a bag of 50lbs of DME I don't really see a problem scooping out the powder. But with 50lbs of LME I just don't see how that would be an easy task.

Just curious

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My LHBS ( listermann.com ) has huge barrels of LME and buckets with lines on them. If you want 6 pounds of Canadian Light they fill to the 6 pound line. Most of their extract is currently $2.40 a pound.

Where do you buy 50 pound DME for cheap? I mean shipping on that must be a b!tch.

This place has a location only about 30 minutes from my house:

The Country Malt Group - Contact & Ordering Information


While I wont be buying a 1000lbs I am considering going with a 50lbs bag of DME for $98. Since I will pick it up myself shipping wont be a problem.


Yooper, I understand the ability of having a LHBS measuring out specific amounts of LME. I am referring to 'bulk' amounts for a homebrewer. Meaning buying a single large amount for a multiple brews. Typically this method would means cheaper prices. I haven't figured out if it would be worthwhile or not for me yet. I mean buying 50lbs of DME at $2 a lbs is nice but I am concerned as to whether or not clumping would be an issue as well as keeping it fresh before I could use it.

Eves said:

Yooper, I understand the ability of having a LHBS measuring out specific amounts of LME. I am referring to 'bulk' amounts for a homebrewer. Meaning buying a single large amount for a multiple brews. Typically this method would means cheaper prices. I haven't figured out if it would be worthwhile or not for me yet. I mean buying 50lbs of DME at $2 a lbs is nice but I am concerned as to whether or not clumping would be an issue as well as keeping it fresh before I could use it.

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Ahhhh. Gotcha. I think you're right to get the DME. LME doesn't store all that great when it's opened. The homebrew stores use co2 (or some other inert gas) to push it, so it doesn't get exposed to air. For home purposes, I think you'd have to deal with the stickiness, the exposure to air, the chance of mold, etc. so it wouldn't be such a great deal even if it was cheaper.

If you keep the DME in a big plastic garbage can, sealed up in the plastic bag it came in, you should not have an issue with clumping. It will stay fresh for a long while if stored properly.

I've never used LME, the cans of it sitting at my LHBS have been there forever. They do howeer, go through a lot of DME and it is Breiss. And they do sell a 55 pound bag of it for $147 or something like that.

If I could have gotten fresh LME from the brewstore for under 3 bucks a pound I would just stay with that. The shipping on a 50 pound bag of DME might erase any savings, and be a PITA to store... I can just imagine saying "Hey honey where should I put this FIFTY POUND drum that won't be in the way?"

You could try breaking up the DME into "batch" sizes stored in airtight plastic bags when you get it. This would lessen its likelyhood of pulling in atmospheric water every time you open the bulk bag.

giligson said:

You could try breaking up the DME into "batch" sizes stored in airtight plastic bags when you get it. This would lessen its likelyhood of pulling in atmospheric water every time you open the bulk bag.

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I use DME for yeast starters. I buy a 3 lb bag at a time and save it in a plastic "zip-lock" style bag. You have to double bag it to keep it secure. It can still be quite a mess to deal with if you aren't very careful. That sticky powder just seems to get on everything in the area when you open the bag.

Double-bagging batch sizes in ziplock bags from a bulk 55 lb sack adds to the cost and increases the storage bulk. And it will be a messy job splitting up that big sack of DME. Unless the savings are significant over buying sealed batch size bags at your LHBS, it wouldn't seem worth the effort.

billtzk said:

I use DME for yeast starters. I buy a 3 lb bag at a time and save it in a plastic "zip-lock" style bag. You have to double bag it to keep it secure. It can still be quite a mess to deal with if you aren't very careful. That sticky powder just seems to get on everything in the area when you open the bag.

Double-bagging batch sizes in ziplock bags from a bulk 55 lb sack adds to the cost and increases the storage bulk. And it will be a messy job splitting up that big sack of DME. Unless the savings are significant over buying sealed batch size bags at your LHBS, it wouldn't seem worth the effort.

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I agree that using separating the bulk DME into batch sized ziplocks would increase cost. However, I think a collection of some sort of air-tight storage containers might work (like the kind you might have in the kitchen for flour and such). Then the only remaining problem would be the mess involved in the separation. That DME is a messy material to handle.

Since using all DME shouldn't hurt an extract recipe I think I might just try out a 50lbs bag and see what happens. Though truth be told I am hoping to be able to do mini-mash batches if not AG this coming summer.

Thanks for all the input everyone.